Cutting apparatus

Abstract

A cutting apparatus includes a cutting device and a base section. The cutting device includes a motor, a housing, a circular saw blade, and a base plate. The circular saw blade is driven by the motor to cut a workpiece. The housing rotatably supports the circular saw blade and accommodates the motor. The base plate is connected with the housing and is formed with an opening into which the circular saw blade is inserted. The base plate includes a main base plate connected with the housing and a sub base plate detachably mounted on the main base plate. The base section supports the workpiece. The cutting device is detachably mounted on the base section and is pivotably supported by the base section to be moved toward and away from the base section to cut the workpiece.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cutting apparatus comprising:
 a cutting device comprising:
 a motor; 
 a circular saw blade driven by the motor to cut a workpiece, wherein the circular saw blade has a first side surface and a second side surface opposite to the first side surface; 
 a housing rotatably supporting the circular saw blade and accommodating the motor; and 
 a base plate connected with the housing and formed with an opening into which the circular saw blade is inserted, the base plate including a main base plate connected with the housing and a sub base plate detachably mounted on the main base plate, the main base plate and the sub base plate forming a bottom surface when the sub base plate is mounted on the main base plate, wherein the motor is positioned at the first surface side of the circular saw blade and the sub base plate is positioned at the second side surface side of the circular saw blade, and wherein the opening is formed by the main base plate and the sub base plate; and 
 
 a base section for supporting the workpiece, the cutting device being detachably mounted on the base section and being pivotably supported by the base section to be moved toward and away from the base section to cut the workpiece, wherein the cutting device is mounted on the base section by attaching the main base plate to the base section. 
 
     
     
       2. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the base section comprises:
 a base surface on which the workpiece is supportable; and 
 a support portion including a mounting portion that detachably mounts the cutting device, and a pivoting support portion that pivotably supports the cutting device, the support portion being tiltably movable relative to the base surface. 
 
     
     
       3. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the support portion is configured to tilt such that the another side surface of the circular saw blade moves toward and away from the base surface. 
     
     
       4. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the cutting device detachably mounts a battery pack, the battery pack being provided at a position spaced farther apart from a pivot axis of the cutting device than the circular saw blade. 
     
     
       5. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the base plate is divided into the main base plate and the sub base plate along an imaginary plane parallel to one side surface of the circular saw blade. 
     
     
       6. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cutting device includes a cover for collection cutting chips that is detachably attached to the housing, the cover covering a part of the second side surface of the circular saw blade. 
 
     
     
       7. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the cover has an outer surface opposing the base section, the outer surface being inclined such that the outer surface approaches the second side surface of the circular saw blade as the outer surface approaches the base section. 
     
     
       8. A cutting apparatus comprising:
 a cutting device comprising: 
 a motor; 
 a circular saw blade driven by the motor to cut a workpiece; 
 a housing rotatably supporting the circular saw blade and accommodating the motor; and 
 a base plate connected with the housing and formed with an opening into which the circular saw blade is inserted, the base plate including a main base plate connected with the housing and a sub base plate detachably mounted on the main base plate; and 
 a base section for supporting the workpiece, the cutting device being detachably mounted on the base section and being pivotably supported by the base section to be moved toward and away from the base section to cut the workpiece, 
 wherein the circular saw blade has an outer circumferential portion, 
 wherein the base plate has a bottom surface, the bottom surface being formed with the opening through which the circular saw blade projects downward beyond the bottom surface, the circular saw blade having a first portion housed in the housing and a second portion protruding from the bottom surface, 
 wherein the cutting device further comprises a protection member pivotably provided on the housing and configured to project downward beyond the bottom surface to cover a part of the outer circumferential portion of the second portion, and 
 wherein the base section comprises an abutment member that abuts the protection member to pivot the protection member such that the protection member covers the outer circumferential portion of the second portion by a predetermined amount, the protection member being brought into abutment with the base section and pivotally moved to expose the covered outer circumferential portion of the second portion when the cutting device pivotally moves toward the base section. 
 
     
     
       9. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the protection member exposes a portion of the circular saw blade spaced farthest apart from the bottom surface when the protection member covers the outer circumferential portion of the second portion by the predetermined amount. 
     
     
       10. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the cutting device further comprises a biasing member that urges the protection member such that the protection member is pivotally moved in a direction that a covering amount increases, the covering amount representing an amount that the protection member covers the outer circumferential portion of the second portion. 
     
     
       11. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the protection member covers at least the part of the outer circumferential portion of the second portion when the protection member covers the outer circumferential portion of the second portion by the predetermined amount. 
     
     
       12. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein, when the cutting device pivotally moves toward the base section to cut the workpiece by the circular saw blade, the protection member abuts the workpiece and is pivotally moved such that a covering amount decreases from the predetermined amount, the covering amount representing an amount that the protection member covers the outer circumferential portion of the second portion. 
     
     
       13. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the base section further comprises:
 a base surface on which the workpiece supportable; 
 a first member provided on the base surface and having a first abutment surface on which one part of the workpiece abuts; and 
 a second member provided on the base surface and having a second abutment surface on which another part of the workpiece abuts, the second member being movable toward and away from the first member, the workpiece being pinched between the first member and the second member to be fixed to the base section, 
 wherein, when the cutting device is pivotally moved at lower limit position thereof, the circular saw blade is configured to intersect with the base surface in a region between a surface extending from the first abutment surface and a surface extending from the second abutment surface, and 
 wherein the protection member having one end portion in a circumferential direction of the circular saw blade, the one end portion being positioned at a position between a position that the one end portion is opposite to a portion of the circular saw blade spaced farthest apart from the bottom surface and a position that the one end portion intersects with the surface extending from the second abutment surface when the protection member covers the outer circumferential portion of the second portion by the predetermined amount. 
 
     
     
       14. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the circular saw blade has one side surface and another side surface,
 wherein the motor is positioned at one side surface side of the circular saw blade, 
 wherein the protection member has a U-shaped in cross-section along a imaginary plane perpendicular to one side surface of the circular saw blade so as to cover the circular saw blade from one side surface to another side surface, and 
 wherein the abutment member abuts a portion of the protection member positioned at one side surface side of the circular saw blade. 
 
     
     
       15. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the base section comprises:
 a base surface on which the workpiece is supportable; and 
 a support portion including a mounting portion that detachably mounts the cutting device, and a pivoting support portion that pivotably supports the cutting device, the abutment member being provided on the mounting portion. 
 
     
     
       16. The cutting apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the cutting device is configured to be mounted on the mounting portion along a pivotal direction of the protection member.